Can childcare bubble stay overnight?

[Notabadger]

Had a search but can't find an existing thread.

My parents help with childcare. I think they can still come to the house to do this whilst I'm working in lockdown. It is very difficult for them to get here early so usually they stay overnight the night before.

Is this allowed still? Neither of us are in a bubble with anyone else. Can't be a support bubble as my parents are a two person household and we are two adults.

3 weeks and a few days that is all it is, wait until the infection rates have dropped.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

Yep, a bit like the first time round, eh?

Overnight stays are banned. There is list of exemptions but childcare isn’t one of them. It’s in the .gov guidance. So yes it is clarified and isn’t allowed. Up to you if you break the rules though obviously!

@ClockSpanner 2hrs away and they usually provide childcare for you my mil wouldn't do it and she lived 5 mins away

@timeforanewstart I am very lucky that they do this every week for me yes. I work 2 days a week (though term time only) and my husband works away so it is lovely catch up time for us all usually as my DC get them in the day but I also get company in the evenings. Them staying the 2 nights makes it worth the 4 hours in the car for them plus seeing their DGC of course! Sorry your MIL doesn't want to help. Mine is a little like that.. says she will help but then doesn't really come through! When shes with the children I think she and they have a great time though, just hard to get it actually to happen!

@triceratops12

What about if grandparents provide care whilst you work from home? My parents come to my house whilst I work in my office

I said 'office job' without thinking! Yes I am working from home at the moment too and I think gp caring for child during your working hours is ok even if your on the spare bedroom on a laptop

@unicornparty

Do they both need to come? It's probably more sensible for only one of them to come.

That's a good point but unfortunately would result in someone feeling left out and some minor drama worthy of a whole other thread

Hmmm. My parents journey would be long in the mornings partly due to traffic which I guess won't be so much of an issue during lockdown
I might ask my employer to flex my times, so I could start later, which might solve the issue.

If you worked nights then would require the informal childcare overnight so I can't see how they can ban this? Also, what are the risks to over night compared to during the day?

I am a rule follower but I can't see the issue with this.

I'd suggest reading the guidance but also the legislation carefully. To me it reads that you can stay that if you are in an exclusive childcare bubble you can stay overnight (The wording of the paragraph before the list of the exemptions in the guidance) and the legislation doesn't contradict that as far as I see. I am however up past my bedtime.

The legal answer is yes, although I believe it may only apply to the grandparent providing care; not both...

I am a rule follower in general n think most would even be asking can they do this. You parents in your house all day what additional risks staying overnight? For crying out loud is people lost the ability to think for themselves!

@FoxtrotSkarloey

I may be misreading this, but I take this to mean people in a support bubble or childcare bubble CAN stay overnight.

I think the reasons being discussed here such as shift work and lengths of journeys would make overnight stays the sensible option, and if you are a bubble, staying overnight won't be making any more difference to germ transmission than has already taken place during the day, would it?

That paragraph you posted says you can’t. A support bubble is different from a childcare bubble. A support bubble is treated as part of your household where a childcare bubble isn’t. You can only have a support bubble if your a single adult household.

It does increase risk. Household transmission isn't a given, so the longer time they spend in the home and especially usimg bathrooms etc, the more likely infection would be passed on. That also applies to them both coming, this is hardly a time for people to be moaning about being 'left out'.

I would try to avoid it unless they are needed in the night formchildcare, or the journey is really not feasible. The traffic might be much lighter so give it a go.

That said, if they did up end staying I couldn't get too worked up about it, I just think it is best at least trying to avoid it rather than just doing as you normally would.

Unless they would be doing more journeys on public transport if they don't stay over, I feel like that would be higher risk than staying over.

@Notabadger it doesn’t matter if one feels left out it’s, you don’t need both for childcare.

My understanding is that with childcare bubbles (NOT support bubbles) the adults are not supposed to come into contact. So if grandparents are having your child while you work, you drop the child off at their house without entering the house yourself and collect in the same way. Or they come to pick up the child, but don't come inside your house. I guess if it was essential for the childcare to happen at your home, not theirs, then that's probably not going to get you into trouble but they shouldn't be in your home at the same time as you.

But that said, I think we all learned back in April from our super responsible government and their advisors that we should use our common sense and do whatever is best for our families. So, do that! If in doubt, always ask yourself, "What would Dominic do?"

How can you say that both don't need to come? That might be the case for you but is not a blanket rule.

My pil can only manage childcare together, one to do stairs etc and one to do sitting cuddling etc. And only one drives.

They are not coming but that is their situation.

People really do have a view on everyone else's life all the time don't they?

Absolutely Charlie, there are lots of reasons why two people might provide childcare together but from what OP said it didn't initially sound like they were factors here.

DC2 is going to my parents this weekend. DH is doing nightshifts all weekend and I have some work to do at home while he's sleeping. I can cope with older DC at home but not with the little one, so he's going there for childcare.

Maybe it's pushing the rules but we've decided to go ahead. DH is doing a frontline job at night, he needs his sleep during the day.

They can't legislate for every different scenario, so there is a degree of common sense needed. Overnight stays are going to be needed for some families, similar to carers being needed in homes. All we can all do in these situations is to try and limit unnecessary contact as much as possible.

OP - it’s probably not “allowed” but neither are a whole host of other things that are perfectly safe. They are looking after the kids in the day anyway, I don’t see the issue. I highly doubt armed guards are going to come to your house and turf them out the minute the childcare ends. Best not to ask opinions on here (most mumsnetters are militant rule followers, allegedly....) and just do it.